Description:
Upstart Bank is an evolution of Upstart’s AI lending platform, focused on simplifying the regulatory infrastructure behind our marketplace while expanding access to credit nationwide. By moving from a fragmented, state-based system to a unified federal framework, Upstart Bank enables more consistent borrower experiences, reduces structural costs, and unlocks opportunities to improve pricing, compliance, and access to credit at scale.
As Director of Engineering for Upstart Bank, you will build and lead the engineering organization responsible for the core platforms that enable the bank to operate at scale. Starting from a small, high-caliber seed team, you will define the technical strategy, organizational design, and execution model for systems spanning ledgering and funding, deposits and payments, marketplace integrations, and reporting. You will partner closely with Product, Compliance, Legal, Risk, Finance, and Operations to deliver scalable, reliable, and audit-ready infrastructure for a modern banking platform.
This is a rare opportunity to help build a modern bank platform from an early foundation rather than inherit a legacy core.
How You’ll Make An Impact
- Build the Upstart Bank engineering organization from an initial seed team into a scaled, high-performing domain with multiple teams and managers
- Define and drive the technical strategy and architecture for core bank platforms, including ledgering and funding, deposits and payments, marketplace integrations, and reporting
- Set the organization design, hiring strategy, and leadership bench needed to scale the Upstart Bank engineering org
- Partner with Product and cross-functional leaders to translate business, regulatory, and operational priorities into engineering architecture, sequencing, and delivery
- Own delivery across critical bank platform domains, ensuring teams execute predictably and deliver reliable, scalable, high-quality infrastructure
- Establish engineering standards and operating mechanisms that support reliability, resilience, security, traceability, and auditability
- Lead cross-functional execution across complex dependencies with Compliance, Legal, Risk, Finance, and Operations
- Build systems and processes that support internal controls, audits, and high-confidence operation in a regulated environment
- Develop engineering leaders and foster a culture of high standards, ownership, and continuous improvement
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or Mathematics, or a related field (or its equivalent) + 10 years of experience, including at least 5 years of direct people management experience
- Experience building and scaling engineering organizations, including hiring and developing teams through periods of rapid growth or organizational formation
- Strong technical background with a track record of setting architecture and technical direction for complex distributed systems and cloud platforms
- Experience leading engineering in regulated or high-control environments where reliability, controls, auditability, and change management are critical
- Experience partnering with senior cross-functional and executive stakeholders on business-critical platforms